A big partisan crowd and an 18-2 advantage in free throw attempts before Becahi started fouling on purpose played a part. The Golden Hawks certainly couldn’t have shot much better through three quarters and still the Stateliners hung tough.

The Golden Hawks were riding 8-for-11 shooting from 6-foot junior forward Kalista Walters, who scored 12 straight points for her team at one point in the second quarter with an array of smooth inside moves that she finished with either hand. They led 43-34 with 4:40 left in the third quarter.

The difference would turn out to be P’burg’s supporting cast as a whole soundly outplayed their Becahi counterparts. That’s how the ‘Liners were able to stay in the game as sharp-shooting junior guard Jess Kovatch began the game 2-for-10 from the field. All five starters, plus reserve Rachel Edwards, almost equally divided the Stateliners’ 31 first half points.

In a fast and furious last 1:21 of the first half, there were five baskets scored in all with Maggie Melhem’s inside shot giving Becahi a 35-28 advantage and P’burg’s crafty junior point guard Kylie Devlin quickly answering that with a 3-pointer from the top of the key with four seconds left to keep the ‘Liners in the game.

Becahi (13-3) threatened to pull away twice in the third quarter when it missed just two of its nine field goal attempts and led 49-41 with 10 seconds remaining before 5-foot-10 P’burg senior forward Ally Raulf drew 6-1 Danielle Griffin’s fourth foul with 2.1 second left and made both free throws.

Griffin had just scored six straight points for her team with Walters stationed on the bench with three fouls but now it was Griffin who was forced to sit awhile while Walters re-entered the game.

Jen D’Anthony drove the right baseline for a basket, Kovatch scored an easy layup off an out of bounds play from under the Phillipsburg basket and Devlin, a one-time Golden Hawk, drove the left side for a basket to tie the score at 49 with 5:41 left in the game.

Back-to-back rebound baskets by Walters and senior guard Janelle Robinson gave Becahi a 53-49 advantage with 4:12 left. P’burg had one more comeback in it, however, and it began with a Devlin jumper from the right elbow.

Raulf then used her arm in a post-up move to hook Walters, a move none of the three referees saw, and scored a layup to tie the score at 53-53 with 2:50 left.

“Well, there were plenty of things that Walters was getting away with,” P’burg coach Nicole Savino said with a laugh. “Ally, no doubt, came to play. Both teams played up to their expectations. But our girls dug deep.”

Following a traveling call on the Hawks, Raulf was fouled inside and made both free throws with 2:01 to go. Raulf, in her first season as a varsity starter, finished with a career-high 11 points to go along with 10 rebounds.

Considering Becahi made an astounding 61 percent (22-for-36) of its shots from the field through three quarters, P’burg had to dig deep just to stay within striking distance.

“Our kids have heart,” Savino said. “I think we gave everyone in the crowd everything they wanted and more. Everybody did their part, their role, and that’s the biggest thing we talk about.”

Robinson drove the lane to tie the score at 55 with 1:47 left but that would be the Hawks' final basket. After its sizzling start, Becahi made just three of its final 13 field goal attempts.

Kovatch, who finished with 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting from the field and 6-for-6 accuracy from the line, hit a turnaround in the lane with 1:30 left to give P’burg the lead for good and Becahi missed a 10-footer and quickly fouled.

Devlin and Kovatch each made both ends of the one-and-ones with 51 and 31 seconds left -- P’burg made 20 of its first 22 free throws to that point -- to close out the scoring and give Phillipsburg one of its most impressive wins in its four-season renaissance.

Both of Bethlehem Catholic’s previous losses this season were to Philadelphia Catholic League Schools, Archbishop Wood and Archbishop John Carroll. Wood took over the PIAA Class AAA top ranking from the Golden Hawks with its 61-39 victory and Carroll nipped the Hawks 42-40 on Sunday.

Bethlehem Catholic, which reached the PIAA Class AAA title game last season before falling 53-38 to South Park, is 30-2 the last two seasons against region teams with the only other loss being a 60-54 defeat to Parkland in last year’s Lehigh Valley Conference playoff semifinal round.

Phillipsburg’s only loss this season was to the 10th-ranked school in the nation, Malcom X. Shabazz of Newark, 63-43 on Jan. 18. The Stateliners' (12-1) most impressive win this season, besides Becahi, is a 52-46 victory over North Hunterdon. The Hawks most impressive win is a 79-74 double-overtime thriller over Central Catholic.

Phillipsburg is now 38-5 over the last two seasons with two losses to Shabazz, two to East Orange, with both coming in the NJSIAA playoffs, and one to Somerville. The Stateliners now have a good chance to run the table before the NJSIAA tournament begins.

Only North Hunterdon or Hunterdon Central seem capable of beating the ‘Liners the rest of the regular season while they could face North again or High Point in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex championship game. Then it’s on to the state playoffs where Phillipsburg is currently ranked fourth in power points among teams in its North 2 Group 4 section.